Alaskan trucking fleets promise $150K driver salaries amid drilling boom

As more drilling and mining projects are approved in Alaska, local trucking fleets are planning to hire drivers around the United States to haul equipment, chemicals and other loads — particularly on its fearsome Dalton Highway, a remote, 414-mile road that connects Fairbanks to oil fields near the Arctic Ocean.

The developments, particularly ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Willow project, have been controversial as they may mar some of Earth’s most remote land. However, for the residents of the United...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/alaskan-trucking-fleets-promise-150k-driver-salaries-amid-drilling-boom

Last-mile firm Bungii streamlines payments with Branch

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Once a relatively unknown strategy, networks of independently contracted delivery drivers — or what...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/last-mile-firm-bungii-streamlines-payments-with-branch

Amazon, facing suit over use of driver tips, launches driver tipping feature

Amazon this week revealed a new way for customers to thank their delivery drivers — but those drivers could be due for an apology too.

On Wednesday, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) rolled out a feature that will give delivery drivers an additional $5 when a customer tells his or her Alexa device, “Alexa, thank my driver.”

Amazon — not the customer — will make the payment to the driver who delivered that customer’s most recent package. The feature will apply to the first million thank-you’s, and the five...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/amazon-facing-suit-over-use-of-driver-tips-launches-driver-tipping-feature

Loaded and Rolling: Costliest year in trucking; truckload drivers’ earnings up

Loaded and Rolling Cover ImageATRI: Costliest year ever in trucking
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

On Wednesday, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released its annual report on the operational costs of trucking. The report, which has been published annually since 2008, is based on motor carrier financial and operations data from 2021. 

Below are some highlights from the report and press release

  • Total marginal cost of trucking increased 12.7% in 2021 to $1.855 per mile, the highest on record. Fuel was...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/loaded-and-rolling-costliest-year-in-trucking-truckload-drivers-earnings-up

ATA survey: Truckload drivers in ’21 earned 18% more than two years earlier

Every data point was higher in the first survey of driver pay conducted by the research arm of the American Trucking Associations since before the pandemic.

The Drive Compensation Study released Wednesday covers data for 2021, and its reference points are comparisons to 2019. 

In a media call, ATA chief economist Bob Costello said trucking is “an industry that is focused on driver compensation and benchmarking against it.” That is the goal of the report and “it is a huge undertaking,” he said. 

Amo...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/ata-survey-truckload-drivers-in-21-earned-18-more-than-two-years-earlier

Companies must see drivers as human beings, not commodities

A truck driver

Most of the factors impacting the supply chain today – shortages, fuel prices, consumer expectations – are more or less uncontrollable. One of the industry’s most infamous ills, however, is somewhat less mysterious. 

Driver recruitment and retention issues plague companies across the transportation space, making it difficult to keep trucks outfitted with highly trained, experienced drivers. Organizations have rolled out hundreds of financial incentives to get drivers in seats, but the real...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/companies-must-see-drivers-as-human-beings-not-commodities

‘Better pay — and?’ Money isn’t everything to high-quality drivers

Carriers are learning that it takes more than a bigger paycheck to persuade today’s drivers to stay on board. 

The competitive market has driven fleets to offer a greater number of benefits, giving drivers the power of preference in the job search.

Reliance Partners Director of Safety Robert Kaferle says benefits are gaining in importance. The better a fleet makes the lives of its drivers, the less reason they have to leave.

“With the industry trending more towards marketing programs, offering...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/better-pay-and-money-isnt-everything-to-high-quality-drivers

Driver turnover driven by different factors depending on tenure, gender

Don't expect driver pay to slow when this freight cycle ends

In 2021, the United States saw a record shortage of 80,000 truck drivers, according to the American Trucking Associations. This worsening driver shortage has pushed companies to bolster recruiting efforts yet again, making themselves as attractive as possible to new drivers.

At the same time, however, many carriers experience turnover rates above 90%, suggesting that companies could benefit from funneling some of their recruitment efforts into retention strategies. In order to do that, carriers...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/driver-turnover-driven-by-different-factors-depending-on-tenure-gender

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